Humm says he is leaving because of the opportunities that Manhattan offers, and not because the Campton Place Hotel has been sold.

"San Francisco is a culinary destination, but so is New York, and it is bigger," says Humm. "I'm 29 years old, and I have opportunities in New York."

The Swiss-born Humm took over at Campton two years ago after chef Laurent Manrique left. He is considered by many to be one of the San Francisco's brightest culinary stars. The Chronicle awarded his cooking four stars in a September review.

Kerry Heffernan (not the female chef with the same name in the Bay Area) had been the chef at Eleven Madison Park, but left three months ago to run the group's new company, Hudson Yards Catering, according to Richard Coraine, chief operating officer of Meyer's company.

Eleven Madison Park has a high rating (26 out of a possible 30) in Zagat's 2005 edition, but a two-star, lukewarm review from New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni. The food has been contemporary American under Heffernan, but of course, Humm brings with him his own style and take on contemporary cuisine.

There is no word yet on Humm's replacement.

PlumpJack's Ormsby has left for various personal and professional reasons. His last day was Monday.

On a trip to Europe earlier this year, he fell down some stairs and crushed his wrist. The rehabilitation from that injury has been long and painful.

Ormsby was originally hired to be the executive chef at the PlumpJack Cafe (3127 Fillmore St., between Filbert and Greenwich streets) and consult on the menus for the Balboa Cafe and PlumpJack Squaw Valley.

Prior to PlumpJack, Ormsby had worked at Bruno's and for the Real Restaurant Group at the now-closed Red Herring, both in San Francisco.

"When I interviewed with Rob Goldberg, PlumpJack CEO, I asked him if the company would stay small, but in the last five years, it's doubled in size with the opening of Matrix in San Francisco, the Balboa Cafe in Squaw Valley, Jack Falstaff in San Francisco and the Boon Fly Cafe and Hilltop Restaurant in Carneros," Ormsby says.

Each of the properties has its own chef de cuisine, while Ormsby's duties have been to closely oversee PlumpJack Cafe and Jack Falstaff and consult on the other five properties.

He says the company plans to double again in size in the next five years.

Ormsby says that in his role as executive chef he collaborates with the various chefs de cuisine, and felt that he was losing the direct connection with the food and diners.

Goldberg says Ormsby's departure had been under discussion for awhile, so he wasn't surprised.

"We're sorry to see him go ... but he needs a break. He has had a positive impact on the company," Goldberg says, adding that the company will see how it goes without Ormsby before deciding whether to seek a replacement.

Ormsby has not announced his future plans.

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After 10 years, Gary Rizzo is pulling up stakes in San Francisco and will move his Miss Millie's (4123 24th St., near Castro Street) to the Rockridge section of Oakland (5912 College Ave., near Chabot Road). It will replace King Shang Restaurant, which will operate until mid-January. The San Francisco Miss Millie's will close around then, and open in Rockridge in March.

Miss Millie's has been a longtime favorite in Noe Valley, serving straightforward American food. At brunch, it's known for serving roasted vegetables, instead of home fries, with the egg dishes.

Asked why he's moving out of San Francisco, Rizzo says, "It's too difficult to do business here."

Elaborating, he says that he feels that City Hall doesn't care whether small businesses survive or not. "I found Oakland extremely business-friendly," he says.

There are more advantages for Rizzo than just the business environment. He has 50 seats in the San Francisco location, but will have 90 in Oakland. And most important to the bottom line, he will have a full bar.

The Noe Valley Miss Millie's is still open Wednesday-Saturday for dinner and brunch Saturday and Sunday.

Clementine owner Didier Labbe has bought out his partner Laurent Legendre after seven years. He also says that he is now open for dinner Monday through Saturday. The popular Clementine, serving moderately priced French bistro food, is at 126 Clement St. (between Second and Third avenues) in San Francisco.

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The much-talked-about Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley, which will open in the first quarter of 2006 in East Palo Alto, has chosen a chef for its food service program. Chef Alessandro Cartumini, from the Four Seasons in Scottsdale, will oversee the 76-seat restaurant called Quattro as well as 24-hour room service, catering and banquets. The hotel is under construction at 2050 University Ave. (at University Circle).

When I talked to chef-restaurateur Johnny Alamilla about the opening last Saturday night of his restaurant, Sol y Lago, in Tahoe City, he couldn't have been more excited if he had just come off a good snowboard run. His love of snowboarding was a prime reason he closed his delightful Alma this summer in the Mission District to move to the Sierra.

The tagline on his new restaurant (760 N. Lake Blvd., in the Boatworks Mall), which means "sun and lake," is "Sierra Latino cuisine." His menu touches on the mountainous regions of Spain, Portugal, France, Argentina and Chile.

One appetizer features butternut squash and queso fresco empanaditas ($7). The larger plates on the menu include a Basque cassoulet with duck, white beans and sausage ($17).

Brian Reccow, a former manager at ThirstyBear in San Francisco, purchased the former Hacienda del Lago restaurant earlier this year.

Alamilla, who has minority ownership, says Reccow did a great job on the design, creating a restaurant in which all 189 seats have a 180-degree view of the lake.